Defending Freedom

Description

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From the Artist:

Most everyone knows the iconic photo of 5 Marines raising the flag on Mt Suribachi during the battle of Iwo Jima. But the flag being raised during that photo was simply a replacement for the first flag that was raised earlier by 4 marines. During the Battle, a 40 man patrol made it to the top of the mountain and placed a small flag on a long pole at the crest. The moment the flag was raised, there were cheers and celebration from the men in the boats and on the beach. The cheers alerted some Japanese to attack the men raising the flag. The marines quickly sprung in to action and that’s the moment this painting depicts. In this painting you see the men that were actually there during the first flag’s raising, along with the combat photographer and the F-4U Corsair ground support planes attacking emplacement ahead of the boots on the ground. Off in the distance, the beach landings are still underway and the sea swarms with boats from the invasion fleet. I wanted to make this painting a different perspective from what we often think of when we think about our grandfathers’ sacrifices during World War II. I wanted to imagine the battleground from the old photos and bring it to life showing the bravery and action of these heroes of freedom. War is always terrible, but we owe our lives and freedoms and economy we have today to these men and I feel like there’s no better time for the hearts of this generation to turn back towards our Fathers. I hope you enjoy this painting and that it inspires you to be proud of our country and what we have done right, despite our flaws. Let’s all stand up for our individual freedom and the rights of our countrymen just like these brave men “Defending Freedom”.

~Abraham Hunter